Pollen analysis of Apis mellifera honey collected from Nigeria

Pollen analyses of twelve honey samples collected in two successive years (2010 and 2011) from different towns and villages in Ekiti State, South western Nigeria were carried out in order to ascertain their pollen compositions. The results from the analysis revealed eighty-five taxa belong to thirty-three botanical families. Thirty-twoof the taxa were identified to generic level and forty-fiveplants were identified to the specific level. The number of pollen grains in the honey samples varied significant (between 4,818and 85,087 pollen grains), indicating their richness in pollen grains. Also in these study, some important honey plants such as Spondias mombin, Alchornea cordiflora, Lannea sp, Asteraceae, Alchornea sp, Rubiaceae, Elaeis guineensis, Pavetta sp, Oldenlandis corymbosa, Triplochiton scleroxylon, Mimosops warneckii, Blighia sapinda, Piptadeniastrum africanum, Entada gigas, Tithonia diversifolia, Papilionaceae and Combretaceae/Melastomataceae have been identified to be characteristics of vegetation typical of Ekiti State and reflection of common pollen load and nectar sources